


meglio tardi che mai

by locoprimo



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, I don't think I'm continuing this but this is good as it is, Mentioned Characters, Riku had to repeat a year so he's on the same class as Highschoolers, Sick Character, super short unlike my all previous entries lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 05:56:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30050949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/locoprimo/pseuds/locoprimo
Summary: Riku doesn't have friends and since he had to repeat a year for the final year of highschool, he was even more so isolated. Yet maybe something will start, like a new flower bud in late Spring.
Relationships: Izumi Iori & Nanase Riku
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	meglio tardi che mai

_Tick. Tock._

A young man with unruly red hairs sighed. His hands on the white blanket clenched.

_Tick. Tock._

(Today) was supposed to be a fine day.

He treated everything with utmost care.

He was prepared.

Just for today.

At least for today…!

_Tick. Tock._

Riku hugged his own knees, feeling miserable of his own weaknesses. He didn’t even mind that the IV drip on his left hand stretched, or did he _ever_ mind?

_Tick. Tock._

“...Tenn- _nii_ is right,” Riku muttered finally, as tears escaped his eyelids. “I should never go to school.”

_Knock. Knock._

Riku was startled at the sound of door knocking, no one supposed to be visiting his hospital room at this moment. Tenn- _nii_ is still in his class at university and their parents are busy with their own work. It should not come from nurses or the doctor too, since they had visited earlier.

(And Riku doesn’t have friends.)

Yet, Riku added quickly.

He will be going to school after his condition is stabilized. At least for the last year of high school, he is supposed to be attending class like a normal student.

(Not home-schooled. Nor even held back a year.)

_Knock. Knock._

“Nanase- _san_?”

A young man’s voice echoed beyond the door. Riku could see a dark silhouette from the small window.

“Y-Yes, coming in!” Riku quickly said as he wiped his tears, “I-I mean, please come in!”

The young man with the same school uniform like Riku went inside. He looked sharp and smart so he might be a class representative. He introduced himself politely, “Pleased to meet you. I’m Izumi Iori, the class representative of 3-A. You’re Nanase Riku- _san_ , right?”

Being this polite, Riku couldn’t fathom but stuttered. “A-Ah, yes! I am!” He added, “Nice to meet you, Izumi- _kun_.”

Iori nodded as he pulled out a large shopping bag. “When you collapsed this morning,” he took out Riku’s brand new school bag that had Usamimi Friends keychain which Tenn gifted Riku before, “the teacher who brought you here forgot to bring this as well. Here you go.”

Riku turned a little bit uncomfortable, “Umm, about this morning. I’m sorry for collapsing like that. I’ve troubled the teachers and our classmates." He bowed, “About the bag too.”

Iori looked surprised for a moment, but he replied calmly. “You can’t help your constitution. Although, saying that you’re not fully responsible is not correct, so you should be more careful in the future.”

For Riku, this was the first time he was scolded bluntly. While Tenn and their parents often apprehend him when he pushes himself too much, he receives more pity and empathy from others so he couldn’t help but be self-conscious of his own weakness. That was why, instead of feeling gloomy, he actually felt kind of refreshed. 

Iori continued as he bowed, “...That said, let me apologize for the person who made you end up here. Right now he’s receiving severe scolding from our homeroom teacher so he couldn’t come here today, but I assure you that he’s not a bad person.”

“What?” Riku was surprised, “I should contact Oogami- _sensei_ right away!” He muttered as he frantically looked for his phone, “It’s not his fault…!”

“Ah, please don’t fret yourself too much. I managed to talk to him before I went here.” Iori assured, “That student, Yotsuba- _san,_ won’t get further trouble after this. Knowing Oogami- _sensei_ , at least Yotsuba- _san_ will be asked to help him move things for the club.”

Imagining the tall and muscular high school student that pushed him to hide under the dusty table because of an earthquake had to move things around as was told made Riku chuckled.

Seeing Riku relaxed, Iori smoothly continued. “I heard from Oogami- _sensei_ that this is your first time in highschool, so I am tasked to help you with your studies. Please let me know if you have difficulties following any subjects.”

“Y-Yes!” Riku couldn’t help but to show his amazement, “You’re a very smart person and dependable, Izumi- _kun_! Thank you very much! I’ll be on your care for this year!”

Iori looked bashful, “N-No, the pleasure is all mine.” He took out photocopies from his bag. “Do you have time right now? I brought my copies of today’s lecture, should we review them today?”

Riku stared at the copies on Iori’s hands and Iori’s face. “Ah, umm, is it okay for you? It’s past 5PM…and I don’t want to trouble you by going out so late.”

“It’s alright. My family owns a bakery around here and it’s accessible ten minutes walk.” Iori explained as he smiled slightly, “Don’t worry about it.”

Riku was overwhelmed with warm feelings as he returned the smile. He then asked, “...Hey, hey, Izumi- _kun_.”

“What’s wrong, Nanase- _san_?”

“Would you like to be my friend?”

"...Huh?"

"A- Ah! I- I'm sorry if y-you don't want that!" Riku gaped, silly him! His cheeks turned very red. Here goes nothing! "But I..don't have many friends...so I'm going to be very happy if you can be my first friend!"

Iori mumbled something and turned his eyes away slightly. He coughed before he gave his hand, "Okay. Nice to meet you, Nanase- _san_."

.

.

.

**Author's Note:**

> it is as good as it is because it gave me a hope in the ending. i was so much satisfied leaving it hanging. though as usual, there are some unexplored path that i wanted to add but i relented the thoughts:  
> \- tenn was working part-time on iori&mitsuki's bakery, not separated with riku and their parents but working hard on several other part time jobs  
> \- mitsuki's cakes were so cute and tasty! he got interviewed  
> \- kujou-san is his professor lol he gave him sponsorship to attend university  
> \- aya and tamaki was adopted by otoharu since they were little, making them children of takanashi and big sis tsumugi  
> \- yamato was working as a sushi chef, following the footstep of his father lol, his father and sobaman's father used to be the famous handsome worker of the shopping district  
> \- sougo ran away from his house but still attend the university! he opened up a coffee shop that all of them frequented, popular with his princely gesture  
> \- ryuu was the croquette gentleman that would always stocked out at 10AM in the morning  
> \- nagi was an exchange university student and frequented the shopping district, making him their mascot lol  
> (wait is it a rom com about shopping district)


End file.
